Wired Hope
by Despairlover
Summary: "You know, you can become the next Junko Enoshima." Yes. That is exactly what her next plan was. First she created a tragedy in this isolated city, now she needs the next killing game. Everything is prepared, all her toys had to now was wake up. She will ensure Junko lives on. {SYOC Closed!} Note: Introductions Part II has been revised!
1. Prologue

**Wired Hope: Prologue**

Notes: Spoilers for Ultra Despair Girls  
 **Update** : We have a full class! Check the bottom notes for all the characters.

* * *

With the final turn of the wrench, he stepped back and grinned at his handy work. For a person with only one working hand, he was able to build this entire structure before his deadline. He cleaned up his tools and returned to his employer. "Miss, I have finished all necessary preparations."

When he entered her room, he found her on the floor, trying to crawl to a scrapbook too far for her to reach. Her wheelchair was pushed aside. Scratches on the floor led to the wheelchair resting against the wall. Sighing, he leaned down to help her.

"Don't touch me!"

He stepped back, holding his hands out. "I apologize. You seemed to be troubled getting your notebook."

"I can do it." He only shrugged. "Did you finish?"

"Ah, indeed I have! But unfortunately this is the last thing I can do for you."

She looked up at him with fiery eyes. Ever since he met her, her eyes were filled with mischievousness despite her outward cute appearance. Now, a month later after her final battle, she became a disheveled mess. Her hair had knots, her dress was wrinkled and stained, and she had bags and wrinkles under her eyes, despite her young age. She had done nothing but worked on this project since he rescued her out of the rubble, and she was not going to stop until she completed her **goal** _._

He promised to help her, only because he still wants to witness the ultimate, magnificent hope be born from all this death and destruction. The only way to achieve this was through despair, and with the other one gone, she was the only one left to cause such despair.

Her plans for the city have somewhat failed. There's a war, but not enough despair, therefore not enough hope. And his time was running out too. **They** were coming for him—to try to fix him. There was no way he could be fixed. But knowing someone out there did want to try did fill him with a bit of hope, just a little. There was no way it would work. Oh well.

"I must go now, or else they will track you down and stop you."

She crawled to her notebook and snatched it. Looking up at him, she frowned and returned to crawl back to her desk. If only she just used the wheelchair. She used it when she was faking her paralysis, so she had to be used to it right?

Maybe the thought of actually being paralyzed brought her into despair. No matter! Her plan will bring hope, even to herself! Such beauty comes from two opposite concepts!

He closed the door, not wanting to disturb her anymore. Since he finished the structure she should be able to begin her next phase. As he passed through his handiwork, he stopped by the hotel and entered one of the rooms.

It was designed as a 5 star hotel—cotton blankets, silk curtains, porcelain counter tops and bathroom. He recalled staying in a place once, and that's what he based off each room on.

The person sleeping on the bed would feel gratitude for waking up in a nice place! They've been in the streets for so long; they will never take a bed for granted again. All 16 of these patrons will wake up with gratitude for living through this despair and reaching for hope. If all his accommodations were planned correctly, there would be no need for such sadness!

He will not be able to witness this work in person. They are coming soon. But that's why all the cameras are recording the second they wake up. Once he finishes his business, he can return and watch hope unfold before him!

As he left the infrastructure, he looked back at the tower. "Good luck, Monaca."

He giggled to himself. Luck. How was that ever a talent for him?

* * *

Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this short prologue. I decided to open up my own SYOC story because I love Dangan Ronpa and the different OCs many of the fans come up with.

Thank you all who have submitted an OC! All users who have submitted an OC will be mentioned in the next chapter.

 **Tetsuko Shirogane- Ultimate Sukeban**

 **Heiwa Yaburu- Ultimate Matchmaker**

 **Alexander Terraria- Ultimate Spiritualist**

 **Cyrus Lawson-Ultimate Violinist**

 **Oharu Eguchi- Ultimate Volleyball Player**

 **Noriko Areth Kageyama- Ultimate Coder**

 **Hitome Tsukino- Ultimate Thinker**

 **Ouama Taki- Ultimate ?**

 **Naoki Fujimori- Ultimate Music Box Maker**

 **Ryuuosuke Fukuzawa- Ultimate Secret Service Spy**

 **Nanako Seta- Ultimate Writer**

 **Mariko Shirobara- Ultimate Actor**

 **Yuji Hayabusa- Ultimate Arms Dealer**

 **Emmeline Cantrell- Ultimate Lolita**

 **Aito Shirayuki- Ultimate Snow Boarder**

 **Sehema Rinjinder- Ultimate Archer**


	2. Introductions Part I

**Introductions Part I**

He was afraid to sleep. Sleep was when you were the most vulnerable. Where _it_ can get you. It will rip you limb from limb, crush your bones, and leave you on the brink of death. But it won't let you die. They want you to see the horror that the world has become.

Even if he was safe from the monstrosities he still dreamt. Dreamt of their red eyes and giant claws tearing through flesh and skin. He woke up many times with a silent scream and cold sweat, believing they've entered his dreams just to break him down. Countless nights he went without sleep, just to survive.

But right now, even as the metal claws scratched the walls and echoed in his head, he felt at peace. He was somewhere warm, somewhere comforting-safe. And it was nice. He was on a cloud, taking in the rays of the sun, and he felt himself smiling. He was happy.

 ** _… happy ending!_**

And that voice. The voice that's louder than the menacing scratching.

 ** _… where everyone's smiling!_**

He hasn't seen anyone smile in so long. This person wanted to see everyone smile again.

 ** _... lives on!_**

Yes, live on… they had to keep living. If they survive they live. If the live… they triumph. They triumph as its teeth sink into yet another innocent person. It paints the town in a sickly red and stomp on the remains of that person. They'll triumph when it approaches him, grabbing him by the throat and squeeze out every last breath-

He woke up gasping for air.

Aito grasped at his throat, trying to pull away whatever it was that held him down. Under the morning rays and white cotton sheets, he slowly laid his hands down. It was just another nightmare. He thought he'd be used to it by now, but if he did, maybe he would have gone completely insane.

He reached over for his crowbar but found his hand meeting extra soft sheets. His eyes widened and he scanned the room. It wasn't broken rubble and a cold cemented floor. It wasn't damp with the air filled with fecal stench. No, this wasn't where he fell asleep. The room was filled with a far too powerful lavender scent and was very warm even without the comforters. The walls were covered in white and gold paper, giving a very expensive look. The night stand and bathroom looked spotless, as if cleaned not too long ago.

Aito looked at himself using the closet mirror off to his side. He wasn't wearing his padded armor or ripped up jeans he had to take from a body. A dark blue hoodie covered his torso, while he wore black pants. His hair was white as snow with no traces of dirt and debris. On the side of the bed were his black boots he wore when he snowboarded.

Snowboarding… when was the last time he did that?

A high pitched noise screamed into his ears. He covered them and closed his eyes, begging for the noise to stop. Just as he thought his ears were going to bleed, it was back to silence. He slowly opened his eyes, thinking it would return to its original state. It was still a gold-white room with porcelain counter tops and the smell of lavender.

Wait. What **original state** was he thinking of?

He was always in this hotel room. But that thought seemed off too. Why was he in this room? Shouldn't he be in Hope's Peak Academy?

His golden eyes turned to the nightstand where a small booklet was place. It had the seal of Hope's Peak. He opened it up, revealing a small tablet titled 'ebook'. With a light beep, the tablet turned on, revealing his identity.

Aito Shirayuki  
17, Male  
Ultimate: Snowboarder

That's right. Not too long ago he found his acceptance letter in the mail. He and his parents attended orientation with him… and that was it. That was all he could remember. Was the headmaster talking? Who was he sitting next to? How many students attended orientation?

His ebook pinged, saying he received a new message. _Meet in town square by 9AM._ On the top corner of the ebook, it said it was only 7:45 AM. Despite the early rise he felt completely refreshed. No aches and pains, although he was a little hungry. Maybe there was a dining hall somewhere.

Slipping into his boots and taking his ebook, Aito left his room. The door read "316, Shirayuki". Along the hall were other rooms with different names he didn't recognize. As he traveled down the hall, he noticed only 16 of the doors had names. He was on the third floor, but that floor alone had at least 26 rooms, and with a second and possibly a fourth floor there would be more rooms. Who was occupying the others?

Thinking he would ask around later, he went into the elevator and made his way to the lobby. In the middle of the room was a fountain with two teddy bears spitting out water. Leather furniture and wood tables were situated around the room, and the floor was covered in an evergreen carpet. The reception desk was covered in a gold top, but no one was attending the desk. The ceiling was painted with Hope's Peak seal, and various bears—some white bears with rosy cheeks and black bears with sharp teeth. He felt something familiar with the bears, but when he couldn't pinpoint it he continued to search for the dining room.

Behind two double doors was a large ballroom with clothed tables and chairs. Against the wall, a buffet was lined up and ready to be eaten. He felt his stomach grumble, so he immediately went for the plates. Gathering a plate full of waffles and eggs, he sat down and ate. The fluffy waffles and salted eggs filled him up fast. He smiled at his meal; like it was the first time in a while he ate something this good.

No, wait. His mother always cooked a large and healthy meal. This meal was actually less satisfactory in comparison to home.

Just as he looked around the room, to find where to place his dirty dish, the doors opened again. Three more students entered the dining hall with confused eyes. One of them locked eyes with Aito, and she ran up to him.

"Yes! Another person! Do you have any idea where we are?" She asked frantically.

Aito took a step back, feeling nervous as the girl waited for an answer. He wasn't sure what to say… because he couldn't say anything. He knew this would be a problem, and it was a surprise Hope's Peak accepted him despite his inability to speak.

He quickly made a scribbling motion with his hands. The girl, luckily, picked up quickly and reached into her purse. She pulled out a pen and notebook. He wrote: " _I'm sorry. I'm mute and cannot speak. My name is Aito Shirayuki. And I don't know where we are."_

"Uh… so is he okay? Why hasn't he said anything?" A guy with thick framed glasses and rolled up black stripped shirt asked.

The girl smiled at Aito. "He's mute Cyrus… but he doesn't know where we are either."

The third person, a girl with a long ponytail and red and white sports jacket, had her eyes locked on the buffet. "Okay hold that thought! I see breakfast and I'm starving!" She ran to the plates and began high piling her breakfast.

Cyrus sighed. "Now's not the time to… well I am hungry. Thank god it's American food…"

As the two plated their meals, the girl turned back to Aito. She had dark straight bangs that almost covered her eyes, while her hair barely touched her shoulders. She wore a red blouse, complimented with a white skirt. "Aha, sorry for bombarding you like that. I just met them in the hallway not too long ago. Oh! I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Nanako Seta. I was accepted as the Ultimate Writer. And you're Aito, correct?"

 _Yes. I'm the Ultimate Snowboarder. Nice to meet you._ Her smile was very gentle, and besides the sudden bombardment of questions she seemed like a really nice person. He was glad she was. Before his acceptance he was usually greeted with a lot of nasty students, picking on him for his disability.

Cyrus approached their table with his food. "Right… introductions. I'm Cyrus Lawson, and I play the violin. That's my talent if you were curious."

With her mouth full before sitting down, the other girl gave her introduction. "Hey 're! N's har Egichi!"

Cyrus rolled his eyes. "She said her name is Oharu Eguichi, and she's the Ultimate volleyball player. Don't talk with your mouth full…"

"Oh sorry! This food is just really good. And she said your name is Aito? Nice to meet you Aito!" He smiled back.

Another ping from his ebook caught his attention. A message in bright blue appeared.

 **3 New Students have been added!**

Nanako Seta  
Ultimate Writer

Cyrus Lawson  
Ultimate Violinist

Oharu Eguichi  
Ultimate Volleyball Player

 **12 More Students Left to Find!**

"Looks like Aito was added to our list of students in our ebooks too." Nanako said. "I wonder where everyone else is."

Cyrus nodded. "We knocked on the other doors. Either they're still sleeping or they're somewhere else."

Aito scribbled in the notebook. _Where is "somewhere else?' Do you mean the rest of the hotel?_

He pushed up his glasses. "Presumably so. However… we tried to reach the fourth floor and it's completely inaccessible. The second floor, however, was empty. No one answered their doors. There's still a basement we haven't tried to look into yet."

Oharu swallowed her food. "We haven't gone outside either. Maybe that's where some people are."

Outside? Was that a safe opt—

Of course the outside was safe. Why wouldn't it? Right… there was a parade not too long ago and the streets were crowded. But that should be over now.

"Aito, why don't you join us? I think it's safer to explore in a group." Nanako suggested. He nodded, and the girl smiled. "Excellent! While we eat maybe we can try to gather what we know?"

Breakfast was filled with speculation and broken memories. As Cyrus, Oharu, and Nanako explained their sides of the story, they realized everyone shared a vital piece of information: they were all attending student orientation, but they can't remember the headmaster's face. After that… nothing. They woke up in their nice hotel rooms with an ebook by their side.

Cyrus frowned. "This can't be a coincidence. Our last memory is too specific, yet…"

"Yet we have no idea how or why we're here." Nanako continued. "And my head is starting to hurt just thinking about it." Aito felt a small pinch of pain as well, but he ignored it seeing he was used to bodily aches.

Once they finished their meals, there was a quick discussion whether to explore the basement or go outside. Nanako timidly expressed her concern for going to dark, cold, and underground places, while Cyrus said he felt there would be more answers outside. Oharu seemed excited to try the basement, but after Aito said he would rather go outside the decision was final.

But the second they stepped outside, Aito was sure he was still dreaming. A crooked banner with sloppy font hung on top of a crudely built building that was named 'town hall'. It was covered in splatters of pink and green paint and was supported with broken pillars. The pavement leading to it was an array of disorienting colors and patterns, while the trees were draped with toilet paper and egg shells. On the other side of the hotel was a blocked metal bridge with a sign reading 'Do Not Enter'. Scattered on the streets were broken cars and litter.

Despite the outdoor setting, there were no animals or sounds of people to be found. Aito stared at the absurdly blue sky and perfect puffed clouds. There was definitely something off about it.

"What the hell is this…?" Oharu asked as she stood in front of Town Hall. She touched the walls and immediately pulled her hand away. "I-it's blood!"

 _What?!_ Aito stepped back as he covered his mouth. The amount of blood splattered on the building was so inhumane. How many people were hurt for this mess to appear?

She wiped her hands on her clothes. "Gross, gross, gross!"

Nanako stayed behind Aito. "T-that's disgusting…"

"Hey! Is everything okay?"

Two more teenagers approached them, very concerned from Oharu's screams. One of them, a female with a scar on her eye and a red armband, approached her and looked at her hands, as if inspecting if Oharu was hurt. Cyrus stood by Oharu's side, waiting to see if this was help or confrontation.

The other student wore a blue suit with brown oxford shoes. He had both his ears pierced and hair slicked back. He walked over to the building and inspected what Oharu touched. "What the… it's blood."

"That's why I was screaming! W-why is there blood on that building?"

The girl inspected the building as well. "It's still a little fresh. This was done recently…"

Cyrus shook his head. "How recently? While we were sleeping in our rooms?"

The suited teen turned to them. "You were in that hotel too?"

Nanako nodded. "We all were. But we have no idea why."

The two looked at each other, before the girl sighed. "We found some other students and received the same information."Aito looked at the ground, feeling frustrated with the lack of news. "But since we haven't met, name's Tetsuko Shirogane."

"And I'm Ryunosuke, Ryunosuke Fukuzawa. I know my name is long so you can just call me Ryu."

"Are you two also students of Hope's Peak Academy?" Nanako asked.

Ryu answered. "Yes, at least I believe so. I have an ebook even though I'm sure I haven't attended any classes. I was accepted as the Ultimate Secret Service Spy. But, I'm not your average spy." He concluded with a wink. Oharu and Nanako blushed slightly and then giggled, while Tetsuko rolled her eyes.

"I'm the Ultimate Sukeban. Stay on my good side and we won't have problems. Mr. Spy here is teetering on the edge though."

With his hand to his chest, Ryu dramatically swayed. "I have done nothing wrong!" This got more giggles from Oharu and Nanako, which only made Tetsuko and Cyrus sigh. Aito had his eyes turned away, trying not to blush as well. It couldn't be helped though that Ryu was a very handsome guy, but there was no way in hell he was going to admit that out loud to anyone.

 **2** **New Students have been added!**

Tetsuko Shirogane  
Ultimate Sukeban

Ryunosuke Fukuzawa  
Ultimate Secret Service Spy

 **10 More Students to Find!**

Their laughter was silenced when a loud shriek pierced through the streets. _What the hell was that?_ Aito thought.

"It came from the hotel!" Tetsuko announced as she took a running start. Everyone else followed in pursuit, afraid and unsure what they would find in this cryptic town.

* * *

Author's Note: I apologize for this abrupt ending. Seeing as finals are approaching for me I know I wouldn't be able to upload a full chapter for another 2 weeks, and I want readers to know that this story is alive and will be updated regularly once I'm on winter break.

Confused? Good! All questions will be answered as the story progresses. I hope this first chapter of introductions was satisfactory enough.

Thank you to those who submitted their OCs in this chapter:

Ebony Sword: Aito (Ultimate Snowboarder)

Shadowclanwarrior: Cyrus and Oharu (Ultimate Violinist and Volleyball player)

dashunterman: Tetsuko (Ultimate Sukeban)

Hell Devil 13: Ryunosuke (Ultimate Secretive Service Spy)

Mikuridaigo: Nanako (Ultimate Writer)


	3. Introductions Part II

**Author's Note** : All edits have been made, specifically with descriptions of the characters.

* * *

The scream was coming from the basement. Tetsuko ran first with Ryu just right behind her. As they stood in front of the basement door Aito felt someone grip his sleeve. Nanako eyes widened as the Sukeban and Agent were ready to kick down the door. To his side, Oharu and Cyrus looked uncomfortable as well. He couldn't blame them, there was no way something good could come out of a screaming basement.

Tetsuko kicked the door open and they were met with a cold draft. They heard small clinking of metal pipes, but no other noise. "Maybe it didn't come from there?" Nanako asked.

Ryu poked his head through the door. "Wait… do you hear that?" Tetsuko leaned in as well, listening for the noise.

"W-what do you hear?" Oharu stammered.

Although he wasn't close to the door, Aito tried to listen too. At first he only heard the wind draft and a few clunking pipes. He gasped and took a step back when light footsteps became louder and faster, and coming straight towards them.

"Ruuuuuun!" The second they heard the scream, Aito and Nanako sprinted back to the lobby, with Oharu and Cyrus on their tail.

They caught their breath on the couches. "W-what the hell was that?" Cyrus chocked out.

Aito shook his head, unable to think of any answer. It was bad enough the town was painted with blood, what more could be down there? And were they actually sleeping in the same space as it?

"Hey, are you guys okay? We heard screams!" From the dining room were three new students. The person approaching them first wore a lot of black—black hair, black biker gloves, and black hair. But what were most notable about him were his heterochromia eyes. Behind him was a very pale girl wearing a lilac hoodie and two different colored leggings. Although she was staring at them, it was hard to tell where she was looking because of her white gasmask. Next to her was a short, lanky boy with dirty blond hair, a brown vest, and burgundy scarf.

Cyrus spoke for them. "There's something in that creepy basement!"

"Huh? Is there now? Hm I'm a little curious to explore." He said with a smile. Aito and Oharu exchanged concerned looks.

"Well two students are already there if you want to explore…" Oharu suggested. "I mean strength in numbers right?"

He looked towards the door and his eyes gleamed. "I think I will actually. Do you mind keeping my _friends_ company? I don't want them to get hurt if there is something bad down there."

"Of course." Nanako affirmed.

He clasped his hands together. "Excellent! I leave them in your hands. But in case something happens, my name is Oyama Taki. It was nice meeting you!" With that he trotted towards the basement, leaving everyone else dumbfounded.

Oharu shook her head. "Wow, he's actually _curious_ about this? At least Tetsuko and Ryu are investigating for safety."

Nanako sat up and held her hand out to the new students. "Well as he said you're in our care now! I'm Nanako. And who might you be?"

The two teens looked anywhere except Nanako, who eventually put her hand down. The boy sighed. "Naoki Fujimori…" He mumbled out. "She's Areth Kageyama."

Just from his tone alone Aito could tell they were more or less the quiet types, either too shy or docile to talk. He just hoped no one else mistook it as rudeness. "Are you two students of Hope's Peak?"

The name of the academy helped establish eye contact. "You guys too?" Naoki asked. "Do you know why-" Nanako shook her head. "Damn… neither did Oyama. What is going on here?"

"I doubt this would be helping us remember but what are your talents? Might as well know who our classmates are." Cyrus asked.

"I'm the Ultimate Music Box Maker, and she's the Ultimate Coder." The coder bowed for her introduction. Everyone else re-introduced themselves. Once they got to Aito, Naoki just smiled. "Heh, you'll fit with us quiet types." There was no malice in his statement, so Aito smiled back.

His eyes turned to the girl with the gasmask as she began to move her hands. His smile instantly grew when he signed back to her. "Oh that'll be helpful!" Nanako said. "So far I think you're the only one who knows how to sign."

She nodded and continued a small conversation with Aito, mostly Aito asking questions about her talent. She was accepted for her natural talent of hacking into government, and the best way to communicate with her was by signing or other codes.

 **3** **New Students have been added!**

Naoki Fujimori  
Ultimate Music Box Maker

Areth Kageyama  
Ultimate Coder

Oyama Taki  
Ultimate ?

"Oh that's weird…" Oharu said. "Oyama's talent isn't listed."

"He didn't really tell us either…" Naoki confirmed. "Strangely enough, though, he seemed calmed about this."

"What the hell? You seriously scared us!"

"It was just a prank Nya~~"

As Ryu, Oyama, and Tetsuko returned , three students followed behind. The one currently yelling was a tall, tan girl with black hair. She looked like she was just crying as her eyes were red but face dry of tears. "Why were you even down there?"

"Teehee, does it really matter?"

Another girl, wearing high leather boots and a gray jacket, crossed her arms. "It was rude that you let it go on so long! You even chased us out!"

Tetsuko rolled her eyes as she sat on the couch and propped her feet on the table. Oyama held his hands out between the girls. "Now, now. I'm sure there's a justifiable reason for this 'prank', right?"

The mastermind of said 'prank' was… well Aito was still registering if she was a person. She had perfect blonde curls, green glassy eyes, and porcelain skin. Her dress was something he'd seen in a vintage shop rather than modern clothing—puffy sleeves, a hoop skirt, and lots of frills. But she was laughing and smiling, and actually _talking_.

"I couldn't help it! It was an easy opportunity for some scares nya~" Then her smile turned into a pout when the other two girls were still upset. "Was it really not funny moe? I'm sorry nyan!" Naoki and Areth looked puzzle at her word choices, and besides characters in cartoons, Aito never heard a person actually use the words 'moe' and 'nyan' in their language.

"Tch, are you 10? What high-schooler still talks like that?" Aito began to grow a little annoyed at the overwhelming presence of new voices popping up. This one came from the elevators, where four more students joined their group. "Hm, are you even a high-schooler? You look like something that should be behind a glass case."

The porcelain girl giggled. "Why thank you nyan~"

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It wasn't moe? But, that's exactly how I got my talent! Ultimate Lolita Doll nyan-nyan!"

The girl placed a hand on her hip and a smirked formed as she flipped her long blonde hair. For some reason, this pose felt familiar to Aito. "And how did you get into Hope's Peak with _that_ talent huh? I didn't realize this _prestigious_ academy accepts useless talents now."

Behind her, a boy in a green robe and blue jeans stepped between them. The robe's red gem and broach shined against the ceiling lights "Now, Sehema, don't you think that's a little harsh? I'm sure her talents are respected in many places."

'Sehema' rolled her eyes. Another guy in a black sleeveless shirt and brown trousers rubbed the back of his dark hair. His hands were covered with brown gloves. "We apologize for her… attitude. I think we are all stressed with our situation."

"A lot is happening at once. Maybe the best way is to continue with introductions?" The other guy with green hair and orange eyes suggested. "While it hasn't jogged any memories, it's best that we get to know each other?"

Although the room fell silent, there was some comforting about his tone. Sehema lowered her hands and sighed. "Fine. My name is Sehema Rinjinder. I'm the Ultimate Archer."

Something in Aito flashed, and he remembered exactly where he'd seen her. She was the fiancée to a prestigious family, which she earned the right after winning an archery match against the father. She was already won several competitions, but her engagement was what caught the world's attention. The family she was engaged to was just as prestigious as the Toga—

Aito held his head when a faint buzzing pierced his head. He fell to one knee and closed his eyes, wishing the noise would just stop.

"Oh crap is he okay?" Oharu asked.

The boy in the green robe approached Aito and gently placed his hands on his shoulders. "I sense a small amount of negative energy. Here, allow me…" He held Aito's head between his hands, and less than a minute later his headache subsided. "Are you okay?" Aito nodded, making him smile. "I'm glad I was able to help."

Porcelain girl tilted her head. "How did you do that moe? Are you a magician?"

He sheepishly laughed. "No, I'm a spiritualist. I am able to heal with spiritual energy." He helped Aito to his feet. "My name is Alexander Terraria, the Ultimate Spiritualist. I hope we can all become the best of friends."

"Ah, so you can also sense auras around our fellow classmates?" The green hair boy asked. Now his vision back in focus, Aito was able to get a better look at this new person. It was the green haired boy from earlier. He wore an unbuttoned cerulean jacket and a red shirt. His yellow jeans were accompanied by a belt in the shape of an arrow. When he held his hand out to shake with Alexander, he noticed a birthmark in a shape of a heart.

"I haven't met anyone else who can sense auras." Alexander replied as he shook his hand. "What is your talent?"

"I'm the Ultimate Matchmaker. Oh! And my name is Heiwa Yaburu."

"Matchmaker?" Cyrus asked.

"Yes. With my ability to analyze people I am able to understand their wants, needs, and feelings. It's not exactly like sensing aura, but I've been complimented that I can do just that." He turned to the rest of the group and grinned. "I'm glad to meet you!"

Ryu smiled. "That's very impressive there. How about the rest of you? I'm glad to see Yuji here."

Yuji was the guy in the black sleeveless shirt and boots. Ryu walked up to him and gave him a pat on the back. "Same respects to you, Ryuunosuke."

"Aw, don't be so formal!"

"You know each other?" Oyama asked.

Ryu nodded. "We've met a couple of times because of his job."

"Yes. Father's company is a high demanding job. We manufacture and distribute weapons, so I was accepted here as the Ultimate Arms Dealer. My full name is Yuji Hayabusa. It is nice to meet all of you." He ended his introduction with a bow.

"My turn! My turn! Nyan!~~" The Ultimate Doll jumped up and down until everyone was staring at her. "My name is Emmeline Cantrell! And I'm the Ultimate Lolita Doll nyan~" She curved her hands to resemble paws. "I want all of us to get along nyan-nyan!"

Aito tried to keep his smile, but knew it would be a while before he got used to her particular speaking habits. He heard Sehema scoff again.

Tetsuko tried to look at anyone else but Emmeline. "You." She pointed to the girl previously yelling at Emmeline. "You're cute. Who are you?"

The girl readjusted her red fedora and stood up straight for her introduction. "Thanks for that introduction. My name is Mariko Shiroibara. I'm the Ultimate Actress."

Heiwa raised an eyebrow. "Actress indeed…" His comment made Mariko visibly stiffen, but he held his hands out to calm her. "I apologize if that sounded rude. You are just very beautiful I would have thought model like Emmeline."

Another face Aito finally recognized. He remembered Mariko's latest job, a TV drama about a girl with a bomb in her stomach that would explode if she fell in love. He didn't read the manga but he constantly overheard the story from his classmates at his old school. It was very popular, so the television adaption was a big deal for Mariko's career. He wondered if she was still going to film during their time at Hope's Peak… if this was Hope's Peak.

Tetsuko pointed to the other girl, tall black hair, and tan skin. "Girl who was also in the basement. Name."

She jumped up, startled by the sudden call out. "I-I um." She began to play with her hair. "Sorry… ah that surprised me. Um… my name is Hitome Tsukino. I'm the Ultimate Thinker hehe…"

Oyama raised an eyebrow. "Thinker? If it's no trouble can you please elaborate on that talent?"

"Oh! So-sorry I didn't explain it? I mean… ummm…. Sorry! Ah… It means I'm really good at philosophy and writing and psychology… no wait that didn't answer it! I can analyze things really, really, really well and then interpret it and find the answer and stuff. Haha did that answer it?"

"Quite." Sehema stated. "Next before this girl gets a nervous breakdown?" Hitome visibly shrunk and mumbled soft apologizes as they turned to the next person.

The rest were just Naoki and Areth, to which they found her first name was Noriko, but liked to be called Areth by the guys, introducing themselves to the Sehema, and everyone else. In a second their ebooks were filled with all their classmate's names and talents.

 **7** **New Students have been added!**

Sehema Rinjinder  
Ultimate Archer

Emmeline Cantrell  
Ultimate Lolita

Alexander Terraria  
Ultimate Spiritualist

Heiwa Yaburu  
Ultimate Match Maker

Yuji Hayabusa  
Ultimate Arms Dealer

Mariko Shirobara  
Ultimate Actress

Hitome Tsukino  
Ultimate Thinker

 **Congratulations! All students have been found!**

 _Strange… Oyama's talent still isn't listed here… maybe I should ask him later._

"I've been a little curious," Yuji said, "What's outside? We were busy searching through the other floors, which are almost impossible to get through."

Oharu faced turned sickly. "There's something wrong outside. We found blood on Town Hall… or what's supposed to be town hall."

"What?" Sehema asked. "Show us."

Tetsuko offered to lead everyone back outside, showing proof of the blood stained building. Some took interest, others were visibly sickened at the bloody display. There were questions about the town's state: the childlike handwriting, the paint sky, and the closed off bridge that obviously led to a new place, yet no one could get through.

Aito then remembered the message left on his nightstand to meet in town hall by 9AM. He looked at the ebook and saw it was ten minutes till. He asked Nanako for her pen and notebook and rewrote the message. "You're right, I had that note too." She said as she looked at the double doors. "Should we just… walk in?"

He shrugged, seeing as there wasn't really anything left do it. Nodding, he stood next to Nanako, and at the same time, pushed the doors open.

When they entered town hall, he expected a lobby with a giant directory desk, and a person to tell them what was going on. Instead it was one large room labeled "courtroom" with 17 spaces. 16 of them had their names, and the last space was a throne with the card 'judge'. _What the hell…_?

"Alright. We are _not_ at Hope's Peak." Ryu said with a nervous laugh, which made Aito jump. When did everyone follow them inside? Well, Ryu's joke wasn't helping. He was trying to lighten the mood, but no one else was laughing.

The cold draft returned. The room smelled murky with mold and moisture, the dripping sound of dirty water rang in Aito's ears, but there were no signs of this noise or smell. The courtroom looked new and clean. It should have smelled like leather and metal, not a sewer. Then, the courtroom was pitch black.

"Upupupupupu!"

That laughter sent a shiver down Aito's spine and it was the only sound heard. No one else was moving, just barely breathing as they were trying to find the source of that laughter, without actually moving. They were too scared to move. Hell he was too scared.

A red light illuminated. As everyone's attention was brought to it, the lights turned on. A black bear with an eye patch and cigar sat on the 'throne' of the courtroom, smiling big gold teeth. "I'm glad everyone is here! It's time to start! Upupupupu!"

 _S-start what?_

It jumped up with a gun in its hand and pointed it to Aito. "Time to start the Killing Game!" The gun shot off.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Now the Killing School Life can begin! I would like to thank everyone who has submitted their OCs for their patience on this. Now that I'm on winter break I believe I can update this regularly. I am still working on a "cover" artwork for this as well as character busts of everyone, so it's easier for everyone to see what their characters will look like. I'm not alone on this project either, my very good friend trina-of-doom on tumblr is collaborating with me. If you can please check out her work and think of commissioning her too! She's a wonderful artist and loves Dangan Ronpa

Anyway I am hoping from here on out the chapters will be much longer and detailed. I have a summary outlining all motives, killers, and victims already. Please review and tell me what you think so far! I apologize for any grammatical errors. Please point them out and I will fix them. Thank you again.

Dha3000: Heiwa- Ultimate Matchmaker

Shyjoker: Areth- Ultimate Coder

mpjindustries: Oyama- Ultimate ?

SqualinaTralala: Naoki- Ultimate Music Box Maker

DisasterPhoenix: Yuji- Ultimate Arms Dealer

Hana Tsukiyomi: Sehema- Ultimate Archer

ShadeZyro: Mariko- Ultiamte Actress

ArchArcher: Alexander- Ultimate Spiritualist

crazyobssesedfangirl: Hitome- Ultimate Thinker and Emmeline- Ultimate Lolita Doll


	4. Chapter 1: Beginning of the End

**AN:** Please refer back to chapter 2. It was pointed out there was a lack of character description, which I hoped I fixed properly. In the upcoming chapters the characters will be somewhat "reintroduced" with description as well, so I hope that helps. This chapter, as said in the title, is free time events, where we get to know the characters more.

Also, thank you Trina-of-doom (on tumblr) for making the cover art! She will continue drawing for Wired Hope, but please give her some time because she is doing this for free. If you're interested more in her art the link to her tumblr is in my profile. Thank you, and enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Beginning of the End**

There was chaos in the courtroom. Screams and cries filled the air—demands to be let go, demands for answers, cries for their loved ones, cries for themselves. Laughter, laughter from the bear with a cigar was part of the noise. It was enjoying their suffering, their confusion. Even as Ryu pleaded for answer, even as Tetsuko and Sehema emptily threatened the bear, it just kept _laughing_.

But Aito heard nothing. He saw his chest rise and fall at a rapid pace, and his heart was thumping against his chest. The gun that was previously aimed at him was on the floor, and from the barrel was a flag reading 'bang!'

Behind the gas mask, Noriko, the docile and quiet girl, was throwing punches in the air, and tried to throw random, nonexistent objects at the bear. She was yelling and screaming, clawing towards it. Yuji, standing at six feet, was the only person holding her back as he pleaded her not to cause any harm.

Emmeline was on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably into her silk sleeves. She cried out for her parents, begging to leave this place. Mariko and Naoki were by her side, trying all they could to calm her down, but Mariko's eyes were tearing. She wiped them away as she held Emmeline in her arms, but Naoki hid under his burgundy scarf, breathing in and out as slow as possible.

Oharu was frantically talking and pacing back and forth. She shook her head, mumbling about how this was all a dream, or some horrible prank. Cyrus placed both his hands on her shoulders and stopped her, telling her to calm down. She pushed him away and tried to rationalize what was just said to them, went back to pacing. The cycle repeated.

Hitome backed herself into a wall. She visibly shook while stroking her hair as a way to calm her nerves. Her eyes were wide open, glued to the bear that was still laughing. Heiwa was not too far from her. He was clutching to his necklace and breathing rapidly, as if he was able to asphyxiate. Alexander was quickly at his side, holding him and telling him everything was going to be okay.

Oyama stood at his labeled podium, just staring at his nameplate. Then, his lips curved upward. His hand quickly covered his mouth as he hunched over trembling violently.

Aito saw everything, but still didn't hear it.

Another part of him panicked. Did he lose his hearing too? How was that possible? One second that bear was spewing nonsense of a killing game, survive and leave, or die in misery. It was a prank, it wasn't real. He wasn't there.

"…to. Aito! A-are you okay?"

His ears were filled with screams again. He turned to Nanako, who was holding his hand tightly. She was crying, but she looked more concerned for him. "Aito you… you're just standing there…"

"Everyone please! We must not panic like this!" The two turned to Alexander, who was waving his arms and struggling to get everyone's attention. "This is only feeding this bear's negative energy. We must not feed his **despair**!"

Aito stopped breathing.

Despair, hope, despair. It was an endless cycle of both. There was no winner, no one was safe. The war continued—he was still fighting. Fighting, and falling.

"Aito!" Nanako was by his side, and then she stood above him. He blankly stared at the ceiling, unable to move. He wanted to stand up, reach his hands out and scream for help. Everything in his body was hurting—open wounds on his feet, cuts on his legs, bruises on his stomach. And his head—God his head was still pounding and that high pitched whistle only made it worse. He needed help, he needed to be in a safe place. He needed _hope_.

"Aito, Aito!" Nanako was sobbing over him, trying to get him up. Before he blacked out, Alexander was by her side. He felt himself being lifted.

* * *

….

…?

 **Hey, do you think we're going to survive this?**

Aito stirred between the newspapers blankets. He turned over to the voice, but could not make out their features. He shook his head.

 **Heh… thought so too. How we managed to make it this long is beyond me.**

He was so tired. His body was heavy and aching. The wound on his foot was surely infected.

 **Promise me this. If we make it out alive, will you confess to him already?**

He somehow let out a chuckle.

 **Good. I was going to do the same. I mean she's really cute you know? And what's there to lose?**

They were right, what was there to lose? They lost their homes, their identities, their loved ones. Hell, confessing to their classmate and being rejected was barely a loss as is. He just wished he had chocolates or something to give him. Did he even like chocolate?

 **Get some sleep Shirayuki. Because at dawn, we're breaking for it.**

Sleep… sleep was nice. It was his turn to sleep while they were on watch. Under the wet newspaper and cold rocks, he was able to find a comfortable spot. His eyes were heavy, his mind was shutting down. Finally, sleep.

* * *

Aito stirred under the cotton comforters. He pulled his knees to his chest and took a deep breath. Why, why were his dreams so dreadful? And what's worse was when he woke up, he could still feel the pain. Was he just going insane? Did his mind want to feel that pain?

He grabbed his stomach when it grumbled. How long was he asleep for? He turned to this other side, wanting to find a comfortable position. When his stomach grumbled again he sighed and pushed the covers to his waist. But as he sat up and rubbed his eyes to clear his vision, a person wearing a white gas mask stared at him.

Aito scrambled back, pushing the pillows and comforters, before hitting his head against the wall. He curled back into a ball and waited for the throbbing to stop. When he looked up again, the person was standing by the wall, their hands clasped together nervously.

It took a second for the snowboarder to recognize who they were. The lilac oversized hoodie with a blue pixel design on the bottom, a cream colored dress, and two different colored stockings with black flat were very familiar to him. He squinted and focused into the eyes of the gasmask where the face was hidden.

He held his hands up and slowly signed. _Kageyama-san… right?_ Noriko "Areth" Kageyama, aka The Ultimate Coder, also the only person who knew how to sign.

Her posture relaxed as she nodded. _Areth is fine_. _Sorry. I scared you._

 _No, I'm okay. I just had a bad dream._ He turned his body to get out of bed, but the second he stood up he grabbed the lamp for support. Noriko stood by his side, one hand on his chest and other on his back. She was his crutch as he sat back down on the bed. _What happened?_

 _Fainted._ She signed. _Alexander and Nanako brought you here._

 _Where are they now?_

 _Nanako. Resting. Alexander. Healing everyone else._

Healing? Did he really have the ability to do that? He barely got to talk to him about his talent.

 _Asked me to stay here. Can communicate with you easier_. _Water?_

He nodded, so she went to the mini bar and took out a water bottle. Once he got some liquids into his system, his mind began to clear. He remembered what happened before.

They were in a courtroom where a black bear with an eyepatch pointed a fake gun at him. When it pulled the trigger, a flag with the words 'bang' came out. There were some screams, but when the realized what was actually in the gun the room sombered. The bear laughed and told everyone to lighten up.

Sehema was the first one to ask what was going on. Where were they, why they weren't at Hope's Peak Academy, and when they could leave?

Its voice was raspy like a smoker and its dialect like a street gangster of the 20's. "You're at Kurokuma's Academia City! It's like the academy but in a city. Cool huh? But no, you're not leaving. You were accepted as the world's most taaallented students! And you want to leave?"

Oharu stepped up next. "This isn't even a real city!"

"Aw… you guys saw right through my décor! So disappointing too, Servant told me he did a great job. What a lazy ass! When I find that one-han-"

"Enough." Yuji interrupted. "You have just admitted that this is not Hope's Peak. We have a right to know—" By Yuji's feet, a tiny ball with a red light was blinking and beeping. In a panic he kicked it away from everyone else and a tiny explosion went off. It barely made a dent in the floor, but smoke covered it.

"That was for interrupting your teacher! Now will you listen or do I have to throw a harsher punishment?" Yuji hands clenched, but he stepped back. "Now then as I was saying! Yes, my Servant made some horrible decors but I told him to make it as city-like as possible! After all this is going to be your new home, for a little while. Upupupupupu."

 _New home?_

"Hm… does it count if the mute one talks when I'm talking? Well he was thinking it… hnnng I didn't think the rules through enough."

 _It-it can read my thoughts?!_

"Hey! I am not an 'it' I am a 'he'! But the best way to refer to me as Kurokuma-sensei! After all, I will be in charge of you from here until your deaths!" He twirled in his chair. "And yes, I can read your mind. I can read aallll your minds! Isn't that dope?"

"O-our thoughts?" Mariko managed to say. "H-how is that…"

"Because I'm magic! Bwuahahaha!"

"Wait a second!" Tetsuko interjected. "Until our deaths? What the hell does that mean?" Everyone took a step back when Kurokuma held another bomb in his hand. His eye was targeted to Tetsuko, but instead he dropped it and let it explode.

"Right I was getting to that. Sorry I go off track sometimes! But yes, starting from riiiight now you 16 students are part of my wonderful little game! I call it… wait for it!"

He jumped up in the air to pull down a tassel. A banner fell from the ceiling and mini fireworks sparked. **Kurokuma's Academia City Killing Game!**

 _Killing… game?_

"That doesn't answer our question." Sehema spat.

"I'm getting there Prissy-chan! Now, unless someone wants their mouths sewn will you finally let me explain? Good! The rules are simple really—you will kill one of your classmates. Once a murder occurs there will be a period of investigation, that's where you all pretend to be detectives and try to find all evidence necessary for the third part: a trial!" Stage lights illuminated the 16 spaces of the courtroom. "A class trial will be held for your fallen comrade where all evidence will be presented. Now this is the fun part!

"If you find the correct murderer, then they will receive an extra special punishment! But if you get them wrong… then I will punish everyone _but_ the murderer! Upupu isn't that fun? Aren't you excited?"

Aito's knees shook as all this information hit him at once. Murdering… one of their own? They didn't know each other and they had to kill each other?

"There are more specific rules in your ebooks so make sure to look at those later. Those also include the city rules! If you break any of these rules you will be punished… maybe as harshly as an actual murderer, or not! Who knows! Now's the time open for Q and A. Come on now, I'll answer them."

For a second, there was no sound. No one spoke, no one ran, no one cried. Even Kurokuma looked confused.

Then chaos all hell broke loose.

He snapped out from his memory when his shoulder was shook. Under the gas mask Aito could see her worried eyes. _You were frozen._

Aito lightly slapped his cheeks to wake himself up. _Sorry._ Noriko sat back in the chair pulled up to his bed. She looked down to her lap. _Now what? Where is everyone else?_

She lightly drummed her fingers on her lap before answering. _Dunno. Alexander said to stay here._

Just as she finished signing knock on the door caught their attention. She sat up to answer it, and on the other side was none other than Alexander. He turned over to Aito with a weary smile as he closed the door. "I'm glad to see you have awoken. Does your head still hurt?"

Aito shook his head. "Good." He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a notebook and a pen. "This is from Nanako. She asked that this be given to you in case Areth-san is not around." He took the notebook and nodded a thank you. He began to sign a question, but he didn't want to force Noriko to speak, so he wrote it instead.

"Nanako? Ah yes, she was with you when you fainted. She seemed to be hyperventilating when she called for help, so Tetsuko-san took care of her. Last I heard she's still with her." He scribbled again. "Everyone else?" Alexander asked after reading the question. He gave a heavy sigh and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. His brown eyes stared at the ground. "It was very… stressful. Everyone took our situation to heart and," He paused and chuckled. "Well, your fainting was one of many symptoms of this 'Killing Game' as Kurokuma says." Noriko gripped her dress tightly and looked away.

"I have been making my rounds to ensure everyone is faring emotionally. But so far there is a lot of negative energy. I'm afraid I cannot help as thoroughly as I would like, however, for I too am feeling it." His body tightened. "That bear's words were quite disturbing. A killing game? Why must we kill each other?"

Just as Aito was about to write, he lowered his hand. It was a rhetorical question of course, but everyone wanted answers. It kept calling this a 'game'. A game for whom?

Alexander shook his head and gave that weary smile again. "Anyway, I am glad to see you are doing well. I suggest to check your ebook for the 'rules' Kurokuma was mentioning. There is more information about this 'city' and 'punishments'. If you need anything else please don't hesitate to knock. Goodbye for now." With that he left the room.

Aito ran his hands through his hair, frustrated at just about everything that has happened in the past few hours. Before he could lash out on his pillow, he looked up at Noriko, who was still standing by the door. There was no way he should let her witness his small meltdown. _I'm sorry… I need to be alone right now._

Hesitating for just a second, the white gas mask nodded and left him alone. Once the door shut he grabbed his pillow and silently screamed into it, seeing as that was the only thing he could do.

 **-Free Time-**

Everything was so confusing. 16 students of Hope's Peak forced into a killing game by some robotic teddy bear. It was so absurd, like out of a video game or a movie. Why, why were they chosen for this madness?!

He fell back into his bed and stared at the white ceiling. When it strained his eyes he turned to his side and felt his ebook poking out. If he was just going to lie in bed he might as well get acquainted with the 'rules'. The mini bombs thrown at them were scary enough, so he should know what to do so he wouldn't be punished.

Opening up the Rules, he scrolled through each one and tried to memorize them. There weren't too many, but some definitely obscure to receive a harsh punishment for.

1\. Students may only reside within the city. Leaving the city is unacceptable.

2\. "Nighttime" is from 10pm to 7 am. Some areas may be off limits so please exercise caution.

3\. Students may not stay or sleep in the room of the opposite gender during Nighttime hours.

4\. With minimal restrictions, you are free to explore Kurokuma's City at your discretion.

5\. Violence against the headmaster Kurokuma is strictly prohibited, as destruction of cameras.

6\. Anyone who kills a fellow student may graduate, unless discovered.

7\. Additional rules may be added if necessary.

There were some other information, such as meal times, littering on 'Kurokuma's grounds', and the use of other facilities (once opened to them). Those didn't come with particularly bad punishments, but he kept them in mind.

Two particular rules stuck out to him, first being only 2 murders allowed per killer. Why did the bear want to limit the amount of murders? The other rule that caught his eye were the destruction of cameras—which was met, specifically, with punishments harsher than the trials. From his memory he did not see any cameras around. He searched around his room, every nook and cranny possible, and didn't see anything. Either their rooms weren't equipped for privacy, or they were smaller than he thought.

He searched through the rest of ebook and found a map with each of his classmate's locations. That itself was very creepy, but he decided to use the map as a guide to find the cameras rather than spy on them. He did take note, though, that most of his classmates were in their rooms (Noriko definitely retreated back to hers), with a few of them doubling up (Tetsuko was still in Nanako's room, while Yuji was in Ryu's). It looked like there were other locations to the city, but for now only 'Town Hall' was accessible.

Strapping on his boots and googles, Aito left his room and began hunting. He started in the hallways, looking at each corner, light fixture, or door frame that may hold a camera. Seeing as there was none, he made his way down to the lobby where a beautiful music box was being played. As he entered the lobby, he found Naoki hunched over a table. His pale hands slowly turned a crank that played the soft tune.

Aito must have been quiet when he walked, because when he tapped Naoki's shoulder, the wheat blond boy jumped and gave a little yelp, with his checkered hat falling off. "Oh Aito! Haha sorry, I didn't hear you there. Uh, what's up?"

He wanted to ask about the cameras, but his eyes turned to the old music box in the student's hands. "Oh you must have heard this huh. Did it disturb you?" When Aito shook his head 'no', Naoki sighed in relief and smiled. "That's good. I was trying to play it earlier for Emmeline and Sehema, but they seemed disinterested." He let out a nervous laugh. "Hearing it calms me down, but I guess it doesn't work for everyone."

Aito quickly wrote in the journal and showed it to him. "Oh! You want to hear more?" The snowboarder sat in the other chair and gestured for Naoki to continue. Naoki adjusted his scarf before he cranked the box again.

It was a soft melody of a classical piano piece. Once in a while a few out of tune or squeaks played out, but seeing as the box was ancient, it made sense it would have a few kinks in it. Aito relaxed into the chair and closed his eyes. The music reminded him of the snow. Undisturbed and peaceful—just the way he liked it. Snowboarding down the mountain without the crowds or people to hinder his way was the best part of his adventures.

He opened his eyes when the music stopped. "So… did you like it?" Naoki asked under his scarf. He looked a little withdrawn, as if afraid of hearing Aito's answer. Aito nodded and wrote 'it was beautiful' on the notebook. That comment allowed Naoki to relax. "Oh awesome! Not everyone is a fan of these—oh I kind of mentioned that already. Um…" His eyes averted Aito. "So… what are you up to? Alexander told me everyone was resting."

He quickly explained his current plans. "Cameras? Huh, I don't think I noticed those."

 _I haven't found them either. If you're not too busy, would you like to help me?_

Naoki was taken aback. "You… want me to help you?" Aito nodded again. _Only if you're not busy._

Placing the music box in his brown vest, Naoki nervously played with his hands. "I-uh… n-not that I'm not flattered for you asking! But uh… you trust me? After… after what that bear wants us to do?"

Oh. He didn't really think about that. Given their situation it would be easy for one of them to kill each other. Everyone else were in their rooms and—

No! There was no way he would ever hurt someone. And Naoki looked so gentle, he couldn't hurt anyone either.

 _You'd never hurt anyone._ He wrote. Naoki's eyes widened at his statement, but then softened. "Wow… really? Y-you think so?" Aito smiled at him, making Naoki blush and look away from him. "Uh sure, if that's what you want."

After confirming he couldn't find cameras in his bedroom and hallways, the two searched all around the lobby. Naoki theorized there could be hidden cameras in the weird statues or future, but after close searching, even with Naoki's magnifying glass, they still didn't find anything.

Aito looked up at the ceiling, cringing at the strange decorative bears. Something about them still felt familiar, but he still couldn't place it. "Do you think they could be up there?" Naoki asked. Aito wasn't thinking of that, but it would make sense for cameras to be hidden within the bears. The lobby was the center point of the lobby and the main area of the hotel, so everyone hung around there. "It's a little high though, how do you think we can reach it?"

The snowboarder looked towards the basement, thinking that there could be supplies down there. Naoki understood, and after searching around they found a tall ladder. Now the question was who should actually climb it? The only way to climb it was for the ladder to be leaned against a wall, and while they were carrying it a few steps felt loose.

They leaned the ladder against a wall and between two bear statues. The two stared at it, then each other to see who would actually climb up. Naoki giggled one of the steps and pressed his weight onto it. "I'm skinner, so I think it'll hold me better." He reached into his pocket and placed his music box on a nearby table. "Uh, you'll catch me if I fall, right?" Aito gave him a thumbs up. "Alright…"

He slowly ascended to the top of the ladder, and despite his short height he was still able to reach the ceiling. Naoki took out his magnifying glass and scanned each bear, specifically into their eyes to see if there are any tiny cameras. "Nothing… it's not up here either—" He leaned too far forward and lost his footing. First his checkered hat fell, and following was his body.

Aito held his hands out and ran under Naoki, breaking his fall. Although Naoki was smaller than him, the fall still hurt them both. Aito groaned and tried to sit up, but Naoki's head was still resting on his chest. He patted the brown vest as a sign asking if he was okay. "Ugh… damn I should have saw that coming…" Naoki lifted his head and their eyes locked. Red immediately colored Naoki's fair skin, and Aito felt his own face heat up. "S-sorry!"

Naoki scrambled off of him and pushed himself away. Aito sat up and frantically waved his hands, trying to signify that he was okay. He couldn't stop blushing, however, since he's never been that close to a person.

"Aha, well—I sorry we couldn't find anything! See you later!" Even if Aito could call out to him it wouldn't matter, Naoki dashed out of the lobby and up the staircase. He leaned back on the floor, propping himself with his elbows and sighed. He looked over at the ladder, and in his peripherals he noticed the tiny music box that was still on that table. Naoki must have been really embarrassed if he just ran and forgotten his box.

Aito finally stood up and took the music box. He was going to return to Naoki, but at a later time. There was no way Naoki would open the door for him now anyway.

He looked at the ladder, realizing he had to return it to its original location. He wasn't sure if leaving an unattended ladder in the lobby counted as 'littering', and not wanting to risk anything he began to move it back. It was much heavier without a second person, so he dragged it along.

"So… what are you up to?"

Trying to turn around to see the voice, Aito almost fell over with the ladder squishing him. That person grabbed the other end and lifted it in order to bring him back his balance. He glanced over his shoulder and saw white hair with pink highlights under a red fedora. Her bracelet jingled as she lifted the ladder. He recognized her as Mariko, the Ultimate Actress.

He opened his mouth, then closed it, pondering how to answer with his hands full. "Ah! Sorry, I forgot! Explain it to me later then. Just lead me to where we need to put… this thing."

After trudging back down the basement (Mariko protested slightly, but got over it knowing Aito was with her) the two returned to the lobby. He showed his previous notes to Mariko, who gasped, completely mortified at their situation. "Seriously? Cameras watching us?! Ugh, that _thing_ said it was watching us… but I didn't expect cameras. Wait, you guys couldn't find anything?" She crossed her arms and tapped her feet. "So, what are you up to now?"

Aito just shrugged. He really didn't have a plan since everyone was holed up in their rooms. Actually… why was Mariko out here? He wrote his question in his notebook.

"Oh… yeah everyone was freaking out for a while. Hell, maybe stepping outside my room was a bad idea." She nervously laughed. "But, ugh, staying in my room was getting really boring. I came out to see if anyone was out too. Lunch is supposed to be served soon-ish right?"

He checked his ebook clock, which read 11:30. Lunch was supposed to be served in half an hour or so. "Uh… well I don't particularly want to go outside since it's just creepy. If you don't mind can we just hang out?"

Aito felt the music box shift around his pocket. He decided he would give Naoki a little more time to himself before approaching him again, so he nodded. Mariko clasped her hands. "Thank you Aito! Hm, I wonder what we can do here though…"

They moved into the dining room, even though the meals haven't arrived, Aito wanted a change of scenery. He did agree he did not want to step out into the fabricated 'city' as the bear kept calling it. It wasn't like they could leave, really, and the blood stained building still sent shivers.

Mariko tapped her chin. "Hm… do you like crime shows?"

Aito bit his lip as he thought about his answer. He'd seen a couple of episodes from various shows but never really followed them. He shrugged as an answer.

She rested her chin on her hand and slumped forward in her seat. "Hm… I'd show you some of my favorite ones but I don't have my DVDs on me, or a television." Her rosy eyes gleamed when an idea sparked. "Oh! This may sound strange… but I can act out one of my favorite scenes! That'll give us something to do, right?"

Aito gave her a thumbs up. She jumped out of her seat. "Alright! I think I have the perfect one!"

After smoothing out her lavender shirt and shaking out all the tension, she closed her eyes and got into character. She held up her right hand and formed it into a gun. Her face fell stiff, with a stern glare towards the air. "You have nowhere to run, Killjoy."

She switched positions and her expression changed again. She was smirking now, with her hands in the air. "Really Detective, and what makes you think that?"

Mariko switched back and forth between the characters, and despite being out of costume, Aito was completely entranced in her performance. She made a clear distinction between each character, and soon he wasn't seeing Mariko, he saw the Detective and 'Killjoy'.

He gasped when the Killjoy pulled out a knife and stabbed the Detective. The detective clutched his wound and fell to the ground, while Killjoy stood above him and smiled. "You can never catch me, Detective." The Detective tried to reach out to him, but Killjoy was just out of reach. "Detective… are you sure you're actually chasing me? Am I really here?"

Aitos' eyes widened at the reveal. Now, the detective was alone in an alleyway, bleeding out. He could reach into his phone and call for backup, but he was so distraught with his own mind, he wasn't sure what to do. Aito leaned forward, anticipating the Detective's next move.

"What are you doing?"

The two broke out of their bubble to find Sehema, the Ultimate Archer, standing in the doorway, face completely unamused. Mariko stood up and coughed. "I was just reenacting a scene."

"Tch, whatever. Is lunch here yet?"

Now that Mariko's performance was interrupted, the aroma of fresh food filled the air. Over by the wall was another buffet of food. He was so encaptivated with Mariko he didn't even see the food would come out! Which was a little sketchy too, because who was making the food?

Sehema walked past them, her black heels clacking against the floor, as she picked up a plate. "Keep playing all you want. I'm eating in my room anyway."

Mariko frowned. "Don't you think it'd be better to eat out here? I mean, so we can hang out and talk."

The blonde scoffed. She flipped her long braid over her shoulder. "What makes you think I would want to eat with the rest of you?"

"Because we're classmates, and stuck here together. We might as well get to know each other."

Sehema turned around, plate on the table, as she crossed her arms. She had a smirk plaster on her face. "We are stuck here to kill each other. That is more than enough _not_ to know each other." When Mariko's hands fell to her side, Sehema walked up to her. The two were face to face, but with Sehema looking down on her with her judgmental green eyes. "And even if this wasn't our situation, I still would not have a reason to talk with the likes of you."

Mariko's hands clenched. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sehema tilted her head. "You're an actress—a liar. You use your talent to lie and manipulate to the crowds. People pay you to not be yourself. Is this bubbly attitude of yours an act now?" The actress's eyes widened at her harsh words, giving more power to Sehema. "In fact, what else did they pay a pretty girl like you to do, huh? I bet in order to become an actress, you had to do other, disgusting things. So tell me, liar, who did you sleep with in order to—"

Aito slammed his hands on the table, startling both girls. His golden eyes burned with anger at the Ultimate Archer. His fist clenched, frustrated he couldn't say anything to defend Mariko.

Sehema, who looked surprised for just a second, just smiled. "Ah, was I too harsh?" Aito pointed to the door. "Oh, I should leave? Fine." She turned back to Mariko, who was almost on the verge of tears. "This is why we shouldn't know each other." She turned on her heels, picked up the rest of her food and left the dining room.

Once she was out of sight, Mariko slammed her fist on the table. She was trembling, but not yet crying. "That bitch… what gives her the right to say that?! Does she not know how difficult my career is? How can just say I'm a liar when she doesn't know me! She—she!" Aito walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. She took a deep breath as she calmed herself down. "Thank you… for standing up for me."

He shrugged, meaning it as an 'of course.' She seemed to understand. "And thanks for hanging out with me. But… she isn't wrong I guess, about our situation. I just—I don't understand how we would have to…" Mariko shook her head. "No, let's not think about that. We were having a good time, right?" When Aito nodded, she beamed, as if gaining more confidence. "Good! Let's eat and we can hang out more! Oh, maybe I can tell you about this drama I was watching."

In all honesty, Aito didn't care much for television shows. But seeing her smile in the middle of this gloomy, confusing situation, he let her go on. It calmed his nerves, knowing someone could genuinely smile in times like this.

* * *

 **AN** : Thank you for reading! I hope you guys are still enjoying this.


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